Tuesday, February 24, 2009

This soup was the best! I find that most soups are either flavorful or pretty, but not many hit both. This is the homerun of soups. It has the most intense magenta color and a flavor that is not traditionally American at all but not so far out that it can't please a crowd.1 onion, chopped1lb raw beets, peeled and chopped1 large cooking apple (granny smith), chopped2 celery stalks, chopped1/2 red pepper, chopped40z mushrooms, chopped2tbsp butter2tbsp sunflower oil (I used grapeseed oil)8 cups vegetable stock (dissolve 4 vegetable bouillion cubes into 8 cups of water)1tsp cumin seedpinch dried thyme1 large bay leaffresh lemon juicesalt & ground black pepper2/3 cup sour creamfew sprigs fresh dill, to garnish1. Place all the chopped veggies (and fruit) into a large saucepan with the butter, oil and 3 tbsp of the stock or water. Cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Stir in the cumin seeds and cook for a minute, then add the remaining stock or water, dried thyme, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt and pepper.3. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes.4. Strain the veggies and reserve the liquid. Pass the veggies through a food processor or blender until they are smooth and creamy. 5. Return the vegetables to the pan, stir in the reserved stock and reheat. Check the seasoning. 6. Serve the borscht with swirls of sour cream and topped with a few sprigs of fresh dill.